Rubbish disposal method

ABSTRACT

Rubbish is disposed of by drilling a plurality of large vertical holes in a large area of land having relatively firm soil. Small charges of loose rubbish are dumped into each hole. After each charge is dumped, the rubbish is compacted, as by hammering and/or downward compression. The area may then be covered with soil. To provide stability, the holes are drilled to a point above the water table, and adjacent holes are spaced and separated by a substantial mass of soil.

[.451 Sept. 17, 1974 United States Patent [191 Hignite 1 RUBBISH DISPOSAL METHOD Inventor: Walter Hignite, N59 W 14272 gg gg i Menomonee Falls Primary ExaminerR0bert R. Mackey 5 Assistant ExaminerAlex Grosz Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Andrus, Sceales, Starke & Sawall [22] Filed: Sept. 18, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 289,765

Related US. Application Data Continuation of Ser. No. 95060, Dec. 4, abandoned.

865g 65/28, E02d 15/00 [58] Field of 61/35 [51] Int.

compression. The area may then be covered with soil.

To provide stability, the holes are drilled to a point References Cited above the water table, and adjacent holes are spaced UNITED STATES PATENTS and separated by a substantial mass of soil.

1 Claim, 6 Drawing Figures PAIENTEDSEPI T 14 3'. 835.652

sum 1 or 2 ATTORNEYS A ar? 7k 70%7/ PAIENIEBSEPI 1:974

{ sum 2m 2 w INVENTOR WALTER HIGNITE RUBBISH DISPOSAL METHOD This is a continuation, of application Ser. No. 95,060, filed Dec. 4, 1970, now abandoned.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a rubbish disposal method, and more particularly to the burying of garbage, trash and other rubbish in the ground.

With the explosive increase in world population, the problem of disposal of all types of rubbish is becoming more acute. Many proposals have been made as to how to economically get rid of the rubbish. Undersea and underground burial systems of many types have been suggested, and in some cases adopted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention presents a unique concept in underground rubbish disposal which is believed to be superior to prior concepts.

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a plurality of vertical holes are drilled in the ground to a substantial depth. The holes are disposed in spaced apart relationship to provide relatively undisturbed soil therebetween. After each hole is drilled, a charge of rubbish is dumped thereinto to partially fill the hole, and the rubbish is then compacted into a tight slug or mass before the next charge is dumped. When one hole is substantially full, it is covered with soil, and the process repeated.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The accompanying drawings illustrate the best mode presently contemplated by the inventor for carrying out the invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing drilling of a single hole;

FIG. 2 is a central sectional view showing a charge of rubbish being dumped adjacent the hole;

FIG. 3 is a view showing the rubbish being funnelled into the hole;

FIG. 4 is a generally schematic view, showing the compacting operation;

FIG. 5 is a view of a completely filled and covered hole; and

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an area completely filled with rubbish in accordance with the invention, and with portions broken away.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The invention contemplates the utilization of a large land area, such as one or more acres, wherein a relatively firm soil exists to a substantial depth, such as 50 feet. In accordance with the invention, the available land is laid out in a grid pattern to provide a plurality of adjacent drilling areas.

Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a vertical hole 1 is drilled at each drilling area, as by an auger 2 or the like, and the soil from the hole removed to any suitable location. In the present embodiment, a rubbishreceiving assembly 3 is then positioned atop hole 1. As sembly 3 may comprise a funnel-like member 4 placed directly over the hole, to which is pivotally mounted a rubbish-receiving scoop-like tray 5.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, rubbish 6 is deposited from a dump truck 7 or the like onto tray 5. When tray 5 is full, it is pivoted, as by a crane cable 8, so that the rubbish is dumped through funnel member 4 into hole 1. It is contemplated that a single charge of rubbish from assembly 3 will provide only a partial fill of the hole.

After the first and each subsequent charge is deposited in the hole, the relatively loose rubbish is reduced in bulk and compacted. Referring to FIG. 4, the compacting may be accomplished by the use of a heavy compactor disk 9 which is slightly smaller than the hole diameter and which is attached to a hoist cable 10 of a crane 11 or the like. Operation of the cranes hoist drive mechanism, which may be of any suitable wellknown type, lowers disk 9 into hole 1 until it is closely adjacent the top level of the rubbish. Disk 9 is then dropped, raised and dropped onto the top rubbish surface a plurality of times to hammer the rubbish down into a tightly compacted mass of reduced volume. If desired, disk 9 may form the end of a ram 12, shown in phantom in FIG. 4, which provides a continuous downward force to compact or compress the garbage. The latter system may be used independently of or in addition to the hammering system.

The filling and compacting process is repeated until the rubbish is filled to near the land surface. The remaining unfilled top portion is then filled with natural soil and compacted. See FIG. 5.

The entire drilling and filling operation is then repeated at adjacent drilling areas in the grid until all the available land is utilized. At this point, the land may be developed for parks, parking lots and the like. Mat type building foundations would also be possible and it is believed that no settling would occur.

FIG. 6 shows a completely filled area having a plurality of holes 1 with rubbish 6 compacted therein.

To provide for stability of the area shown in FIG. 6, the invention contemplates that each hole 1 is spaced from adjacent holes and separated therefrom by a substantial mass 13 of undisturbed firm soil, which provides support against horizontal shifting of the rubbish during and after compacting. If holes of 8' to 10' diameter are drilled, they should be spaced apart approximately 2, depending to some extent on the firmness of the soil in the area. Care should also be taken so that the bottom of each hole is above the water table, to further prevent instability.

While it is preferable to drill and fill one hole at a time, some holes could be drilled while others are being filled without departing from the spirit of the invention. In any event, no hole casing is required.

It has been determined that with the concept of the present invention, one acre of land can accommodate up to 44,000 cubic yards of compacted rubbish.

Various modes of carrying out the invention are contemplated as being within the scope of the following claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the subject matter which is regarded as the invention.

I claim:

1. A method of rubbish disposal comprising:

a. drilling a large vertical hole in generally selfsupporting firm ground to a substantial depth approaching the water table and removing all the dirt upwardly from the hole to a location above ground level to provide a cavity of substantial capacity for refuse,

d. and repeating said steps for successive adjacent holes one at a time in close proximity with the diameter of each hole substantially greater than the distance between the holes and wherein the compacted slugs are self-supporting and prevent cavein of the soil from adjacent drilling operations 

1. A method of rubbish disposal comprising: a. drilling a large vertical hole in generally self-supporting firm ground to a substantial depth approaching the water table and removing all the dirt upwardly from the hole to a location above ground level to provide a cavity of substantial capacity for refuse, b. dropping successive quantities of refuse into the cavity and alternately applying a downward force thereon to compress the same into a compacted slug against the soil at the sides thereof and filling the cavity to near the surface of the ground, c. filling the remaining portion of the cavity to ground level with soil to cover the refuse and prevent contamination of the atmosphere therefrom, d. and repeating said steps for successive adjacent holes one at a time in close proximity with the diameter of each hole substantially greater than the distance between the holes and wherein the compacted slugs are self-supporting and prevent cave-in of the soil from adjacent drilling operations. 